https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-635-The-Living-Village-in-the-Netherworld/12919804/
Chapter 634: The Master of the Netherworld
Chapter 634: The Master of the Netherworld
"Huh?"
Hu Ma was perplexed by the commotion, "What's this about a Great Belly Ghost King?"
"I haven't even exerted myself, and you all are running away?"
To be honest, one's own abilities are clear. The New Year Guardians cultivate their divine souls, and once they enter the Underworld, they are all considered Ghost Kings, big or small.
As a New Year Guardian who had opened three Mansion Gates, when he condensed his divine form, he was among the Ghost Kings, and a formidable one at that.
However, it was still one against many, and facing these malevolent demons, it seemed he hadn't reached the point of complete domination. Why were they so terrified?
Feeling curious, he subconsciously wanted to ask for clarification, but as he moved, the scattered evil ghosts became even more frightened. They were chased around frantically, crying out for their grandfathers and grandmothers. Hu Ma had condensed his divine form, and his massive figure, still unaccustomed to this world, appeared as a mere shadow in the mortal realm, sustained only by his physical body.
Here, however, he seemed solid and real. Although he felt incredibly powerful, his movements were somewhat difficult.
After a few steps of pursuit, he couldn't catch up, and in his urgency, he could only reach forward with both hands, finally grabbing a slow-moving ghost and holding it up to his face.
The blood basin mouth opened, and he shouted, "Why are you running? What's this about a Great Belly Ghost King?"
"Celestial Master, please spare my life, spare my life..."
The ghost he had grabbed was dressed as an actor, trembling violently in his hand and screaming desperately.
As the blood basin mouth drew closer, the ghost let out a miserable scream, its body collapsing, and the entire phantom suddenly melted into Hu Ma's hand.
"Oh dear..."
A ghost shadow, which had been fleeing in a panic, mustered the courage to turn back and take a look. It was terrified, its soul flying away, "The Actor Ghost has been eaten by it..."
This shout intensified the already chaotic and terrifying atmosphere tenfold. Countless ghost shadows swirled around, like a disturbed hornet's nest, flying and darting in all directions. Their piercing wails filled the air, and the area trembled as if electrocuted, the chaos spreading in all directions.
Hu Ma was indeed surprised and felt that his condensed divine form was consuming his Dao virtue rapidly. The surrounding wails of ghosts further irritated his mind.
A strange desire welled up inside him, as if he wanted to swallow them all in one gulp.
Just as the darkness and evil intentions filled his heart, a distant golden light descended, accompanied by a voice:
"Brother, don't panic, I'm here to help you..."
"..."
With the golden light, the gloomy clouds dispersed instantly, and the mournful wails of the ghosts were suppressed. It was as if the Netherworld had suddenly become bright and sunny.
Hu Ma took this opportunity to calm his mind and hastily retracted his divine form to avoid wasting too much Dao virtue.
Looking up, he saw Second Pot Head descending slowly through the misty darkness.
A talisman was attached to his body, its light dazzling, the source of the golden light that dispelled the surrounding dark fog. He looked like a golden lantern wandering through the Netherworld...
...No wonder he kept a malevolent spirit by his side; they were all red lanterns!
...He himself was also of the lantern attribute!
"Huala!"
Second Pot Head landed in front of him, and with a wave of his wide sleeves, a burst of golden light enveloped Hu Ma. He spoke with a hint of reproach, "Brother, you were too careless."
"It's a good thing I was worried about you and hurried down to find you. Otherwise, wouldn't I have stumbled into trouble alone?"
"The Netherworld is not the same as the mortal realm. Danger lurks everywhere. Even if you've crossed the bridge, a single misstep in the Netherworld could mean complete annihilation..."
"..."
"Yes, yes..."
Hu Ma could only agree, but he felt something was odd. 'Wasn't I the one in danger just now?'
Thinking of the scattered and fleeing wraiths, he felt a twinge of regret, as if he wanted to swallow them all.
His confusion reached its peak, and after calming himself slightly, he hurriedly asked, "About the New Year Guardians in the Netherworld..."
"Have you forgotten what I told you up there?"
Second Pot Head raised his hand to stop him, saying, "This is your first time down here, and there are many things you don't understand. But once we're back up there, we'll explain everything in detail."
"Living people can't speak down here. Every word you say costs a bit of your Yang Qi. One slip, and your life could be at stake."
"..."
Hearing this, Hu Ma had no choice but to close his mouth.
He indeed needed to sort things out and gain some understanding first.
Meanwhile, Second Pot Head took out a complexly designed compass from his sleeve, with Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches inscribed on it.
But he flipped the compass, and on its back were intricate arrangements, with faint, mysterious characters moving along with it.
This was the treasure passed down by the Senior Ghost Walker lineage, capable of measuring the Yin-Yang Dual Scene Disc of the mortal realm and the Netherworld.
Second Pot Head was very skilled. After examining the four directions and above and below, he had an idea and pointed in a direction, "We can't stay here long. Let's hurry over there!"
"Let's go there!"
"..."
Seeing his treasure in Second Pot Head's hands being so useful, Hu Ma felt a twinge of envy.
But in his heart, he reassured himself that staying with him wasn't a bad idea, after all, he had taken it, and he wouldn't know how to use it anyway...
After confirming the direction, Second Pot Head grabbed the chain next to him and pulled out a piece of yellow parchment, scattering it into the air with a rustling sound.
To their surprise, a path made of yellow parchment appeared beneath their feet. Second Pot Head laughed and gestured for Hu Ma to follow, leading the way along this path with confident strides.
The surrounding yin mist seemed to obscure everything, but it couldn't conceal the yellow parchment road.
Within the mist, eerie sounds occasionally echoed, and faint cries could be heard. It seemed that shadows were trying to crawl out of the mist and onto the paper road.
"We're in a hurry, don't cause trouble..."
Second Pot Head occasionally grabbed handfuls of gold and silver paper money, scattering it along the way, attracting the surrounding yin spirits. They scrambled to snatch it, no longer paying attention to climbing onto the yellow paper road.
"These yin spirits have sensed the presence of living beings and want to follow us back to the world of the living. By scattering some paper money, we can send them away."
As he scattered the money, he explained to Hu Ma beside him, "The Netherworld is dangerous, but with me, you don't need to be afraid. I've been here many times before."
Yes, yes, yes...
Hu Ma finally understood the source of his previous astonishment.
When it came to the skills of the Ghost Walker Path, Second Pot Head was far more experienced than Hu Ma, a member of the Ghost Walker Clan.
Hu Ma, despite his age, was visiting the Netherworld for the first time, and in his physical body at that. In contrast, Second Pot Head had been there numerous times and had even located the Hu Family's treasure vault in the Netherworld.
It all felt rather strange.
As the two followed the path made of yellow parchment, they felt as if the surrounding scenery was rapidly retreating. There were mountains, forests, and even places resembling villages and palaces, but they were all shrouded in yin spirits, making it difficult to see clearly. Suddenly, they heard the sound of rushing water ahead, and after a few more steps, they saw that the yellow parchment road abruptly ended.
An immense, boundless river, its waters dark and gloomy, blocked their path.
Within the river, massive shadows swam, and occasionally, there were struggling figures on the surface.
Facing the rolling malevolent qi from the river, Hu Ma became slightly wary, but Second Pot Head seemed unperturbed. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a paper bridge, which he shook in his hand, and it suddenly caught fire. In an instant, it burned completely.
The next moment, a sturdy and exquisite bridge appeared beneath his feet, stretching across to the opposite bank.
Second Pot Head walked onto the bridge, and Hu Ma followed, but as soon as he stepped on it, cracks appeared. Second Pot Head quickly turned back and cautioned, "I almost forgot you're here in your physical body. Be careful. Although things burned from the living world become real here, they are still just thoughts. You Year Guardians have heavy bodies, and if you're not careful, you might collapse my bridge..."
"The river below is ferocious. If you fall in, it's hard to get back up..."
"..."
Hu Ma could only walk carefully on the bridge, using the Year Guardian's light body technique. Although he knew it would consume his yang qi, he couldn't help but ask, "If things burned by living people become real here, why don't descendants burn a thousand soldiers and horses to come here and directly become kings?"
"..."
"What are you thinking about?"
Second Pot Head laughed and said, "Although things burned from the living world are useful here, the key is not what is burned, but the intention behind it."
"The more sincere the person burning it is, the more valuable it becomes when it reaches the Netherworld. This bridge is the same; the more sincere the person burning it is, the sturdier the bridge becomes."
"Additionally, there are also tall buildings, fine horses, clothes, and jewels burned and sent here. Oh, and those paper people..."
"..."
As he spoke, he shook his head, still not fully expressing his thoughts. "Tsk, they're just like the real thing..."
"Holy..."
These words made Hu Ma pause, and he thought to himself, "How do you know so much? Have you tried it before?"
With Second Pot Head leading the way, they crossed the river and continued their journey.
With a master like Second Pot Head guiding them and the Yin-Yang Dual Scene Disc illuminating their path, the Netherworld, which should have been extremely dangerous, became like a leisurely sightseeing walk for Hu Ma, greatly expanding his knowledge.
In the Netherworld, there was no sun or moon, making it difficult to tell time. After crossing the river, they climbed a mountain, passed through a misty and eerie valley, and reached the White Bone Slope and the Hall of Ghosts.
As Hu Ma's Four Pillars Dao Virtue gradually diminished to less than three pillars, a rolling wave of malevolent qi suddenly surged towards them from ahead.
The qi was so intense it seemed to cut their faces, causing them to flinch. The mournful wails were particularly startling, especially for Hu Ma, who felt that the malevolent qi was even more fierce than that of the Five Malevolent Deities.
Second Pot Head also stopped and said in a low voice, "Brother, I didn't fail you. Ahead is the City of the Wrongly Dead..."
(End of Chapter)
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